| The scope is to explain the enduring conflict between the United States and Iran. The research design consists of four main components: (1) a theoretical framework, (2) models to guide the inquiry, (3) a narrative of historical processes, and (4) analysis and interpretation of the causal chain. The principal source of information has been the existing literature; however, my findings have been heavily influenced by field research in Iran.; The argument advanced in this study is that a certain number of recurring patterns in Iran's history account for the immense hostility toward the United States. A comprehensive survey of Iran's history identifies seven distinct patterns: (1) the legitimacy of the absolute ruler, (2) the territorial legacy of the Persian empire, (3) the never-ending conflicts with a string of world powers, (4) the legacy of foreign domination of Iran, (5) the ancient and exceptionally strong relationship between state and religion, (6) Iran's lack of social cohesion, rampant factionalism, and the constant threat of political disintegration, and (7) the extraordinary resilience of Iranian culture and national identity. The dissertation argues that the best way to understand Iran's current standoff with the United States, and to predict the future of U.S.-Iranian relations with a higher degree of certainty, is to look for the historical motives that drive decision-making.; This dissertation arrives at the overall conclusion that the clash between Iran's great imperial past and the global power currently assumed by the United States is the root source of the conflict. America's short involvement with Iran fits a historical pattern of powerful external enemies who not only entered the regional spheres of Iranian influence but also attempted to alter the internal institutions and culture of its societies. The United States got entangled in Iran's factional struggle over what constitutes a legitimate social contract, which continues today between Shi'i absolutism and social forces with aspirations to some sort of Iranian-style democracy. The very survival of the theocratic regime rests on maintaining the image of the United States as the external hegemon that stands in the way of Iran's historical aspirations. |
